Nemesia plant named ‘Kirine-4’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Nemesia  plant named ‘Kirine-4’, characterized by its upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded growth habit; freely branching and flowering plant habit; large white and yellow bi-colored flowers; relatively tolerant to high temperatures; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Nemesia caerulea×Nemesia strumosa.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Kirine-4’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia, botanically known as Nemesia caerulea×Nemesia strumosa and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Kirine-4’.

The new Nemesia is 2 product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Tochigi, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Nemesia cultivars with good vigor and attractive flower coloration.

The new Nemesia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in March, 2004 in Tochigi, Japan of the Nemesia caerulea cultivar White Wings, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Nemesia strumosa cultivar Nebula White, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Nemesia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Tochigi, Japan in September, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Nemesia by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Tochigi, Japan since October, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Nemesia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘Kirine-4 ’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Kirine-4’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Kirine-4’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia:

-   -   1. Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded growth         habit.     -   2. Freely branching and flowering plant habit.     -   3. Large white and yellow bi-colored flowers.     -   4. Relatively tolerant to high temperatures.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Nemesia differ from plants of the female parent, the cultivar White Wings, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia are larger than plants of the         cultivar White Wings.     -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia have larger flowers than plants of         the cultivar White Wings.     -   3. Plants of the new Nemesia and the cultivar White Wings differ         in flower color as plants of the cultivar White Wings have         white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Nemesia differ from plants of the male parent, the cultivar Nebula White, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia are larger than plants of the         cultivar Nebula White.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Nemesia are fragrant whereas         flowers of plants of the cultivar Nebula White are not fragrant.     -   3. Plants of the new Nemesia are more tolerant to high         temperatures than plants of the cultivar Nebula White.

Plants of the new Nemesia can be compared to plants of the cultivar Intraiwhi, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,502. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Tochigi, Japan, plants of the new Nemesia differed from plants of the cultivar Intraiwhi in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia were more mounded than plants of         the cultivar Intraiwhi.     -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia had larger leaves and flowers than         plants of the cultivar Intraiwhi.     -   3. Plants of the new Nemesia and the cultivar Intraiwhi differed         in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Nemesia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Nemesia. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Kirine-4’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the aforementioned photograph and following description were grown under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the late spring in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Santa Paula, Calif. for about 10 to 13 weeks in 15-cm containers. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 16° to 27° C., night temperatures ranged from 7° to 15° C. and light levels ranged from 5,000 to 7,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time about four weeks after planting.

-   Botanical classification: Nemesia caerulea cultivar ‘Kirine-4’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Nemesia caerulea cultivar White             Wings, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Nemesia strumosa cultivar Nebula             White, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 3 days at 23° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 5 days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 days             at 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 23 days             at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading and             mounded growth habit. Freely branching; about five primary             branches per plant and numerous secondary branches.             Moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 32 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 34.5 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 27 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2.5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 4.8 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to somewhat outwardly spreading.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 5.1 cm.         -   Width.—About 1 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Margin.—Slightly serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 137B. Developing             foliage, lower surface: 137C. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: 137A; venation, 137B. Fully expanded foliage, lower             surface: 147B; venation, 147B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Zygomorphic solitary flowers             arranged on terminal racemes; flowering acropetally towards             the apex. Flowers bilabiate. Flowers face upright and             outwardly. Flowers last about one week on the plant. Flowers             not persistent. Freely flowering habit with about 40 to 45             flowers per raceme.         -   Fragrance.—Faint; floral.         -   Natural flowering season.—In California, plants flower from             early spring to fall; flowering continuous during this             period.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 9 cm to 11 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4 cm.         -   Flower length.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower width.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.4 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Shape: Ovoid. Length: About 9 mm. Diameter:             About 6 mm. Color: 10D.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five petals; four upper petals are             fused at base to form an upright lobed and arched banner             lip; lower petal modified into a larger lip with convex oval             protuberance with serves as a pollinator nectar guide and             landing platform. Shape: Rounded to oval. Apex: Rounded.             Margin: Entire; lower lip, sinnuate. Length: Upper petals:             About 1 cm. Lower petal: About 1.3 cm. Width: Upper petals:             About 5 mm. Lower petal: About 1.8 cm. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When             opening, upper surface: 10D. When opening, lower surface:             4D. Fully opened, upper surface: Upper petals, 4D; lower             petal, 13A, becoming closer to 10D with development;             protuberance, 24A; nectar guides, 79C. Fully opened, lower             surface: 10D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Calyx star-shaped with five sepals             fused at the base. Shape: Narrowly elliptic. Apex: Acute.             Margin: Entire. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 1 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:             Erect to about 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: 137B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:             About 30° to 45° from peduncle axis. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent; minute. Color: 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Four per             flower. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: Less than 1 mm.             Anther color: 162B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:             162D. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length:             About 3 mm. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: 145C.             Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 145D. Ovary color:             144B. Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Nemesia. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Nemesia have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Nemesia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Nemesia have been observed to     tolerate wind and rain and have good garden performance. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Nemesia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 4° C. to about 28° C. 

1. A new and distinct Nemesia plant named ‘Kirine-4’ as illustrated and described. 